" LONDON Black Justin Evans Jersey , Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank (WB) warned on Tuesday that a failure to reach a ""smooth"" deal for Britain to leave the European Union (EU) could pose a serious risk to Europe's economic recovery in 2018.

""If there is some surprise along the Brexit road that might derail a European recovery, and that recovery has been exceptionally strong,"" Franziska Lieselotte Ohnsorge, told Xinhua on Tuesday afternoon.

Ohnsorge is one of the lead authors of a report ""Global Economic Prospects"" published Tuesday evening by the WB which noted that within Europe ""uncertainty remains elevated and could intensify again, weighing on confidence and growth"".

The report noted that Brexit negotiations could harm investment decisions throughout Europe, and Brexit had certainly already had an effect on the British economy Black O. J. Howard Jersey , Ohnsorge said.

""Brexit is difficult. We expect growth in Britain to slow from 1.6 percent to 1.4 percent,"" she said.

There is no clear path for Brexit, and no certainty as the EU and Britain enter the second and more complex phase of the Brexit negotiations of what a Brexit will mean for trade between the two parties.

The prospect of a Brexit in which Britain quits the 28-nation bloc with no agreement on tariffs or on provision of financial services could hit both Britain and the EU, which depends on London's deep and liquid capital markets for much of its debt and investment financing.

A no-deal Brexit, or one with tough tariff terms, cannot yet be modelled Ali Marpet Jersey , said Ohnsorge, but it would be disruptive to trade and to growth.

""That is one of the risks -- not just to the British economy but to the European economy,"" she said.

Ohnsorge's report noted that growth in Europe and the wider EuropeCentral Asia region had been 3.8 percent in 2017.

At the same time as growth in Britain had been revised down by 2 basis points, growth in the wider European region had been revised up by 1.3 percentage points.

Although growth across the region was forecast to slow to 2.9 percent over 2018, it was expected to maintain a level of about 3 percent through to 2020.

The WB was working on the assumption that Brexit would be smooth and that trading conditions would not alter much.

""Our assumption is that the whole process proceeds smoothly, and that there are no surprises Donovan Smith Jersey ,"" said Ohnsorge.

" " BRUSSELS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Eurozone economic confidence continued rise to its highest level since October 2000 in December.

Figures from the European Commission showed the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI), which mirrors the economic confidence, increased strongly by 1.4 points in the eurozone to 116.0, and by 1.6 points in the EU to 115.9 in December from the previous month, reaching the highest levels since October (euro area) and August 2000 (EU) Noah Spence Jersey , while continuing the upward trend observable since autumn 2016.

The more optimistic eurozone sentiment was primarily boosted by marked increases in confidence in the services, retail trade and construction sectors. Confidence rose further in industry and among consumers as well.

Amongst the largest euro-area economies, the ESI rose strongly in France by 2.3 points and Germany by 1.6 points and, to a lesser extent, in the Netherlands by 0.7 percent. It remained unchanged in Italy while decreased slightly in Spain by 0.8 points.

Capital Economics' European economist Stephen Brown said the data pointed to quarterly GDP growth of around 0.8 percent, roughly consistent with annual growth of 3.2 percent.

""So there might be upside risks to the already above-consensus forecast for euro-zone GDP growth of 2.3 percent in 2018; we doubted that this will prompt the European Central Bank to alter its dovish stance,"" he said.

" WASHINGTON, May 26 (Xinhua) -- The gunman of a deadly shooting in a Walmart supermarket of North Dakota earlier on Tuesday has been identified as an Air Force airman, police said.

Marcell Willis, 21 Kendell Beckwith Jersey , walked into a Walmart supermarket, shot two employees, killing one, before ending his own life in the store. He also fired once at a third employee but missed, according to Grand Forks police.

"We've not been able to find any links to him and any of the victims. That's not to say that can't change," police spokesman Derik Zimmel told reporters Chris Godwin Jersey , "There's no apparent motive that jumps out at this time."

The injured worker was taken to Altru Hospital in Grand Forks with a gunshot wound that was not believed to be life-threatening, Zimmel said. Willis received medical treatment at the scene and taken to Altru, where he was pronounced dead.

Willis was the only person with a handgun and no police officers fired a weapon, Zimmel said.

"We are deeply saddened about this situation and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," Walmart spokesman Brian Nick said.

The Grand Forks Air Force Base, where Willis was stationed Justin Evans Jersey , said that they are working with police on the case. The base has 3, 000 Air Force personnel and civilians, according to its website.